South Africa's new vehicle sales increased by 10.4% year on year in October 2026, reaching 61,890 units, while vehicle exports returned to growth after months of decline.
According to the latest figures released by Naamsa, domestic sales were up by 5,839 units from the 56,051 recorded in October 2025. Vehicle exports reached 38,117 units, a 6.3% increase compared with the same month last year and a 21.1% improvement on September.
The export recovery follows a period of declining volumes since February. However, exports for the first 10 months of 2026 remained 8.3% below the corresponding period in 2025.
Passenger car sales drive domestic growth
Passenger vehicles accounted for much of October's domestic market growth, with sales increasing by 13.6% year on year to 45,084 units.
Light commercial vehicle sales, including bakkies and minibuses, rose by 2.2% to 13,689 units. Medium commercial vehicle sales edged down by 0.9% to 770 units, while heavy truck and bus sales increased by 8.1% to 2,347 units.
Dealers accounted for 78% of reported domestic sales, followed by the rental industry at 16.5%, government at 3.3% and corporate fleets at 2.2%.
The rental industry accounted for 21.4% of new passenger vehicle sales during the month.
New energy vehicle sales gain ground
South Africa's new energy vehicle (NEV) market also continued to expand. Cumulative NEV sales reached 22,389 units in the first nine months of 2026, already 34% above the full-year 2025 total of 16,703 units.
One in every nine cars sold in September was an NEV, according to the industry figures.
Rechargeable vehicles, comprising plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs), made up 50.5% of year-to-date NEV sales in September. This represented 8,082 plug-in hybrids and 3,217 battery electric vehicles.
Traditional hybrid electric vehicles accounted for the remaining 49.5%, or 11,090 units.
The figures point to a shift in the composition of NEV sales, with rechargeable models collectively moving ahead of conventional hybrids. Adoption is also beginning to extend into light and medium commercial vehicle segments, although volumes remain relatively small.
Fuel costs remain a pressure point
The growth in vehicle sales comes against a backdrop of higher transport and living costs. In October, inland 95-octane petrol reached R30.25/litre, according to Naamsa, following a sharp increase in international oil prices.
The temporary fuel levy relief package announced in the October Medium Term Budget Policy Statement took effect on 4 November. It reduced the petrol levy by R1.50/litre and the diesel levy by R3/litre.
However, the relief does not fully offset the preceding fuel price increases, leaving households and fleet operators exposed to elevated transport costs.
Naamsa said sustaining market growth would depend on improving domestic purchasing power, maintaining a predictable policy environment and addressing cost pressures affecting consumers and manufacturers.
It also highlighted the need to expand charging infrastructure and local manufacturing so that growing demand for new energy vehicles translates into domestic investment, employment and stronger export competitiveness.
